Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) greeted fans on the way to the locker room after UK defeated South Carolina 45-38 at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday October 4, 2014 in Lexington, Ky. Mark MahanHerald-Leader

Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) greeted fans on the way to the locker room after UK defeated South Carolina 45-38 at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday October 4, 2014 in Lexington, Ky. Mark MahanHerald-Leader

Those words, that sentiment, have taken on a much greater sense of urgency for the old man among the Kentucky running backs. This is Kemp’s last season to do what he set out to do, to change the program from a Southeastern Conference basement dweller to a rising star.

“I’m not going to stop until it’s done,” promised Kemp, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound senior from DeLand, Fla. “I really want this. … The only reason I came here was to do something special, to change the culture, so I’m not going to stop putting that work in until I actually get that done.”

It’s that work ethic, that commitment, that has caught the eye of new running backs coach Eddie Gran.

“I like his toughness,” the offensive coordinator said of Kemp. “He’s a perfectionist. He really wants to do everything right. So you have a chance. You know you’re gonna get everything from him.”

But if he’s perfectly honest, Gran wasn’t so sure what he was getting in Kemp when the coach arrived this offseason from Cincinnati.

His first few days of camp, the offensive coordinator seemed to be at a bit of a personality impasse with Kemp.

Apparently, Kemp — never one to miss an opportunity to entertain — hadn’t been taking things as seriously as Gran wanted on that day.

“Evolution is interesting with Jojo because he’s got to learn — you’ve got to know when to turn it on and turn it off in terms of when you’re going to have fun,” Gran said in early August. “Jojo, as you know, he likes to have fun and laugh. … He and I are just kind of getting to know each other of when he needs to be like that and not be like that.”

The two apparently have gotten better acquainted in the weeks that followed, with Kemp explaining that his ever-present smile irked his position coach early on.

“I always knew Coach Gran had a great sense of humor, I just had to pull it out of him,” Kemp said laughing. “That’s all it is.”

How exactly does one pull a sense of humor out of his stern-faced, veteran coach?

“Keep poking him and he’ll be good,” Kemp laughed. “Just messing with him when the play’s over or after practice pull on his shirt a little bit. He’s trying to get uptight, but he’s a great coach.”

Maybe it’s the poking or the shirt-pulling, or maybe it’s just that Gran has learned Kemp is quite serious about being a leader for the offense and bringing about that change he so publicly touted in 2014.

The last two years, Kemp said he was content to be a leader by example, just play as well as he could and as hard as he could when his name was called.

He’s upped the ante this season. It’s his final season at Kentucky, and he’s all in.

“This year’s Jojo is a more vocal leader,” Kemp said. “I’m pulling guys to the side, talking to them. Younger guys that’s coming in, giving them the expectations that we have here.”

His head coach has definitely seen a different Kemp, who had 98 carries for 555 yards and tied for a team high with six touchdowns last season.

“I haven’t seen the highs and the lows,” Stoops said of Kemp’s change. “He’s always had the great fiery attitude and always had good days, but it’s about consistency and it’s about not having those setbacks. He’s had great adversity. He’s had very big highs and he’s had very low lows. That comes with life.

“That’s where I’ve seen him grow and fight through that, grow up and mature, that things are not always gonna be perfect.”

Kemp’s maturity has landed him atop the running back depth chart with star Boom Williams. They could be a dangerous one-two punch starting Saturday against Southern Miss.

“He’s really trying,” Gran said of Kemp. “He probably has been the most consistent back throughout this camp. He’s doing everything that we’re asking him to do, and he’s understanding when to turn it on and turn it off, and that’s what I asked him to do and he did it.”

But can Kemp really ever turn it off? Probably not.

Recently, when asked to describe this new and improved Jojo Kemp, the running back chuckled.

“Handsome young man,” he said, pausing to grin. “A guy who likes to have fun and smile. A guy who works hard and is going to have fun and be happy while doing it.

“I’ve come a long way, and just being in this position is an awesome feeling, and I’m going to soak every last minute of it and have fun doing it.”

Ex-Cat Hatcher finds landing spot

Former Kentucky defensive back Jason Hatcher, who was dismissed from the program after a marijuana trafficking charge in Franklin County, has moved on to West Georgia. The former Louisville Trinity star also tweeted a picture of field preparations at the Division II school. The Wolves went 12-2 last season.

Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) scored a touchdown late in the game as the University of Kentucky played the University of South Carolina at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, October 4, 2014. This is fourth quarter college football action. UK won 45-38. Charles Bertramcbertram@herald-leader.com

Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) was congratulated by Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver Ryan Timmons (1) and other teammates after he scored his third touchdown as the University of Kentucky played the University of South Carolina at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, October 04, 2014. This is fourth quarter college football action. UK won 45-38. Charles Bertramcbertram@herald-leader.com

Strength coach Rafael Horton carried Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) off the field after he scored his third touchdown as the University of Kentucky played the University of South Carolina at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, October 04, 2014. This is fourth quarter college football action. UK won 45-38. Charles Bertramcbertram@herald-leader.com

Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) celebrated his second quarter touchdown as Kentucky played South Carolina on Saturday October 4, 2014 in Lexington, Ky. Mark Cornelisonmcornelison@herald-leader.com

Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) greeted fans on the way to the locker room after UK defeated South Carolina 45-38 at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday October 4, 2014 in Lexington, Ky. Mark MahanHerald-Leader

Kentucky running back Jojo Kemp prepares to run the Wildcat Offense in the fourth quarter. The University of Kentucky hosted University South Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 04, 2014 at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington. Jonathan PalmerHerald-Leader

Strength coach Rafael Horton carries Kentucky running back Jojo Kemp off the field after Kemp scored the game tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. UK would go on to win, 45-38. The University of Kentucky hosted University South Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 04, 2014 at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington. Jonathan PalmerHerald-Leader

Kentucky Wildcats running back Jojo Kemp (3) went in with the tying touchdown in the 4th quarter as Kentucky defeated South Carolina 45-38 on Saturday October 4, 2014 in Lexington, Ky. Mark Cornelisonmcornelison@herald-leader.com

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